Khon Kaen ThailandIt's the quiet streets within the town that I like - it's a very walkable place. To see a map of the city with details of hotels and more, click HERE. To see a map of Isaan, click HERE.
The highlight of Khon Kaen is surely Kaen Nakorn Lake with Klang Muang Kao Temple on its edge. Every afternoon, the lake comes alive with walkers and runners, many making the full 6km circuit of the lake. The northern part of the lake is the centerpoint, with food stall sellers and a large music stadium transformed into an aerobics venue for hundreds of people. Hire a pedal boat for a voyage onto the lake!
Walking up the many steps of Klang Muang Kao temple gives you stunning views of the town and surrounding countryside. On the ground floor, you might see lay meditators, cloaked in white, listening to a monk, side by side with visitors, some who try to lift a heavy ornamental elephant with just their little finger. If successful, it's thought this brings good luck.
North of the city is Thung Sang Health Park, more secluded from traffic. Khon Kaen University is the 3rd largest university in the country. The campus is vast and if you make the 3 or 4 kilometer journey to the grounds, there's a lovely lake to relax by. The university, with its young population, gives the city a certain energy that is palpable, lacking in other large towns. One local expat English teacher I met gave me an interesting insight into Khon Kaen. Thailand is full of foreign tourists and at times, Thailand's attitude to foreigners can be a bit blaze - 'just another tourist!' But the small number in Khon Kaen often makes you feel like an object of interest - something I can attest to - you'll get quite a few extended stares!
He had a nice thing to say about the locals - just how friendly and welcoming they'd been towards him. And when he heads further out to the surrounding countryside, it's the same, if not more. Indeed, the countryside around the town is one very strong reason to stay in Khon Kaen and use it as a base. There are many national parks within comfortable driving distance to the city (and slightly less comfortable motorbike driving!). One amazing sight, 110 kilometers to the east in Phu Pha Man National Park is seeing a million bats (give or take 3 or 4!) enter or leave their cave. Click HERE for more details.
50 kilometers away is Ubolratana Dam in Nam Phong National Park. It's huge, almost like a sea spread out on a vast plain. There's a viewpoint you can head to to oversee the whole spectacle. Click HERE to see photos and how to get there. Places that I didn't get to include a turtle village where turtles wander freely around a village and King Cobra Village where locals have earnt a living putting on snake shows. There's also Phu Wiang National Park, where several new species of dinosaurs have been discovered relatively recently. There's 68 dinosaur footprints in the park too!
80 kilometers to the west of Khon Kaen is small but bustling Chum Phae. This town could also be used as a base and you'd be that bit nearer to national parks. I didn't see any car or motorbike hire places here so it might be best to hire back in Khon Kaen (see the Khon Kaen hotels page for locations of the hire places). There are 3 hotels that I came across, including one nice place by a small lake in the town. To see pictures and information about Chum Phae, click HERE.
To get a bus to Chum Phae, head to the second class/fan bus station in Khon Kaen and get a bus that's heading to Loei or hop on the 4pm first class bus to Loei leaving from the Air-con Bus Station. The train station and 2 bus stations are very centrally located (see map), so it's not time-consuming to head there to find out about your departing bus or train. Buses leave very frequently to many destinations in the country. For train times, have a look at the Northeastern Line timetable on this page.) There are national parks to the north of Phu Pha Man National Park that I haven't visited yet, that are meant to be beautiful, including Phu Kradung National Park.
Return from Khon Kaen, Thailand to Isaan (Northeastern Thailand).
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